Reversible spring-lock attachment for railroad-switches.



No. 670,366. Patented Mar. I9, I901.

, E. E. BURKE.

(Application filed N v. 24, 1900.) (No Model.)

I J 6; a u z 1 Unrrsn STATES EDWARD E. BURKE, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

REVERSIBLE SPRlNG-LOCK ATTACHMENT FOR RAILROAD-SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,366, dated March19, 1901. Application filed November 24, 1900. Serial No. 37,641. (Nomodel.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. BURKE, a citizen of the United Stat es,and a resident of Anderson, in the county of Madison and State ofIndiana, have made a certain new and use ful Invention in ReversibleSpring-Lock Attachments for Railroad-Switches; and I declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, suchas Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the invention, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a section on the line 1 1, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a section onthe line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a detail view of head R.

The invention relates to means for operating railroad -switches,especially on streetrailways; and it consists in the novel constructionand combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, the letter Adesignates the switchtongue, and B the inc-asement of the mechanismwhereby the tongue is to be moved to the right or left, according torequirement.

The incasement is provided with an opening at O on its upper surface andwith an opening D at the side. These openings should be arranged in theform of stuffing-boxes to prevent as far as possible the access ofmoisture.

E indicates the switch-rod, which is connected to a lug of theswitch-tongue. This rod extends outward through the opening D from theincasement, within which it is provided with oppositely-acting spiralsprings F F, which engage by their proximate ends the lugg of thereciprocating locking-slide G. This slide, which is straight throughoutits length, as is also the switch-rod, works in slideways G of theincasement and is provided with a slot therein having lateral camwallsh, which are parallelv and face each other and are of an inclination tothe longitudinal axis of the slide. Such cam-surfaces have at oppositeends thereof each a lockingshoulder h, which is of a right-angularrelation to the longitudinal axis of the slide. Seated in the slot g ofthe locking-slide is the opcrating-bar K, also straight throughout itslength and running or reciprocating at right angles to the direction ofmovement of such slide. Such bar is provided with lateral extensions atopposite sides thereof, which extensions have cam-surfaces k k, designedto engage the camsurfaces h h of the slide and of an inclination to theaxis of such rod. These cam-surfaces of the operating-rod are alsoprovided with locking-shoulders 7c,which are parallel to thelongitudinal axis of such rod.

The operating-bar K is usually provided with a bend at Z, and the partbeyond the bend is provided with teeth to form a rack m, which engagesaquadrant-gear J, the shaft 2 of which passes upward through the opening0 and is provided with a head R, which is formed with a slot or otherbearing to receive the end of the turning bar or key which the motormanuses to shift the switch. The top of the head R is made flush with thesurface of the top of the incasement, and it is madeof sufficientdiameter to be readily operated from a car in motion. The side of thehead is beveled, and its upper rim fits the upper margin of the openingneatly to prevent the access of obstructive matter into the chamber 0'of said opening. Suitable bearings are provided on the incasement forthe various parts, and the construction is designed to be such as torender the incasement as nearly Water-tight as possible. The operatingparts therefore being all concealed within the casing and kept welloiled will not be liable to get out of order from rust or otherobstructive causes.

When the motorman on a car approaching the switch desires to change thedirection of the switch-tongue, he operates the quadrantgear by applyinghis key or tu rning-lever'to the head R of the shaft 2. This shifts therack-bar K and causes its parallel inclined hearings to engage thecam-surfaces of the locking-slide, moving the latter easily with the aidof the springs until the locking-shoulders of the slide become engagedwith those of the bar K. By the engagement of these shoulders of thelocking-slide and operatingbar the switch becomes locked in the positionto which it is moved and is so held until some other motorman turns thequadrant-gear in the reverse direction, unlocking the operating-bar,moving it in the opposite direction, and looking it in the new position.The

springs will while holding the switch elastically in locked position ineither direction cause the locking-shoulders of the lockingslide andoperating-bar to be forcibly engaged in such a manner that thevibrations caused by the passage of the wheels through the switch willnot produce casual disengagement.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. In a railway-switch, the combination with the transverse slide,having a connection with the point-rail of the switch, and provided withcam-surfaces of an inclination to the axis of such slide andhavinglocking terminations of a rightangular relation to the axis ofsuch slide, of the operating-bar having the double cam-surfaces arrangedto coact with the OEIIII'SLII'IHBGS of said slide to move the point-railin either direction, and having locking terminations parallel to theaxis of such bar, and arranged to coact with the locking terminations ofthe cam-surfaces of such slide to lock the point-rail in position,substantially as specified.

2. In a railway-switch, the combination with the transverse slide,having a connection with the point-rail of the switch, and provided witha slot therein having lateral camwalls of an inclination to the axis ofsuch slide, and having locking terminations of a right-angular relationto the axis of such slide, of the operating-bar working in such slot andhaving lateral cam extensions at opposite sides thereof, and arranged tocoact with the cam-walls of such slot to move the point-rail in eitherdirection, the cam-surfaces of such extensions having lockingterminations parallel to the axis of such bar, and arranged to coactwith the locking terminations of the cam-surfaces of such slide to lockthe point-rail in position, substantially as specified.

3. In a railway-switch, the combination with the transverse slide,having a connection with the point-rail of the switch, and provided withcam-surfaces of an inclination to the axis of such slide, and havinglocking terminations of a right-angular relation to the axis of suchslide of the operating-bar having the double cam-surfaces arranged tocoact with the cam-surfaces of said slide to move the point-rail ineither direction, and having locking terminations parallel to the axisof such bar, and arranged to coact with the looking terminations of thecam surfaces of such slide to lock the point'rail in position, togetherwith springs for further locking the point-rail in position,substantially as specified.

4. In a railway-switch, the combination with the transverse slide,having a connection with the point-rail of the switch, and provided witha slot therein, having lateral cam- Walls of an inclination to the axisof such slide, and having locking terminations, of a right-angularrelation to the axis of such slide, of the operating-bar working in suchslot, and having cam extensions at opposite sides thereof, and arrangedto coact with the cam-walls of such-slot. to move the point-rail ineither direction, the cam-surfaces of such extensions having lockingterminations parallel to the axis of such bar, and arranged to coactwith the locking terminations of the cam-surfaces of such slide to lockthe pointrail in position, and means for putting such transverse barunder tension to further lock the point-rail in position, substantiallyas specified. Y

5. In a railway-switch, the combination with the straight transverseslide having a connection with the point-rail of the switch, andprovided with cam-surfaces of an inclination to the axis of such-slide,and having locking terminations of a right-angular relation to the axisof such slide, of the straight operating-bar, having camsurlaces at oppsite sides thereof, arranged to coact with the cantsurfaces of suchslide to move the point rail in either direction, and having lockingterminations parallel to the axis of such bar, and arranged to coactwith the locking terminations of the cam-surfaces of such slide to lockthe pointrail in position, together with means for exertingspring-pressure upon said bar to further lock the point-rail inposition, substantially as specified.

6. In a railway-switch, the transverse slide, having a connection withthe point-rail, the operating-bar, arranged to have a'double-camengagement with such slide to move the pointrail in either direction,the cam-surfaces of such slide and bar having locking terininatious of aright-angular and parallel relation respectively to the respective axesof such slide, and bar, and arranged to coact with each other to lockthe point-rail in position, and means for exerting spring-pressure uponsaid slide to further lock the point-rail in posit-ion, substantially asspecified.

7. In a railway-switch, the switch-rod having a connection with thepoint-rail, the transverse slide having a perforated lug engaging saidrod, springs surrounding such rod, and bearing against such lug, theoperating-bar having a double-cam engagement with such slide to move thepoint-rail in either direction, the cam-surfaces of said slide and barhaving locking terminations of a right-angular and parallel relationrespectively to the respective axes of such slide and bar, and arrangedto coact with each other to lock the point-rail in position, saidsprings being arranged to be put under tension to further lock thepoint-rail in position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E. BURKE.

Witnesses:

EZRA THOMAS, SIMnoN B. SEARS.

